How to drink Mexican coffee? Is Mexican coffee good? What are the ways to drink Mexican coffee?

The Origin of Coffee

Around the 6th century AD, an Arab goatherd named Kaldi was watching his flock graze when he noticed that after eating the red fruits of a wild hillside shrub the goats became unusually lively. Curious, Kaldi picked the fruits himself and found he felt full of energy and in remarkably good spirits. He took them to a nearby monastery and told the monks what they did — but the monks judged it the work of the devil and threw the red fruits into the fire. The fruits immediately gave off a tempting, distinctive aroma. While the abbot slept, one rebellious young monk gathered the cooled beans, ground them to powder, and poured them into a container of hot water. The world's first cup of coffee was born.

Latin American Coffee Regions

Central and South America are considered the finest coffee-producing regions, with coffee known for its mild, bright, elegant fruity acidity. Almost no blend recipe can do without Latin American beans. The producing countries here include Jamaica, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and more.

Mexican Coffee at a Glance

Mexico borders the United States to the north and ranks fourth in the world in coffee production, with its main areas in the southeast, next to Guatemala's Huehuetenango highlands. About 70% of Mexico's coffee is exported directly to the United States, all of it washed, and it is graded by altitude into three levels. Mexican coffee is generally assessed as moderate in aroma and lighter, more elegant in body. The Maragogipe (also written Maragogype, the "elephant bean" variety) not only produces beans roughly three times the average size but is also famous for its mellow, rounded taste.

Mexican Coffee Producing Regions

Mexico sits at the northern end of Central America, at the uppermost edge of the coffee belt. Its coffee areas run from Coatepec and Veracruz in the north, through the Pluma coffee of the Oaxaca region in the center, to the Chiapas highlands in the far south, which border Guatemala's Huehuetenango area. Most Mexican coffee is washed Arabica, characterized by a very intense, distinctive aroma somewhat reminiscent of over-fermented fruit. The small round beans of the southernmost Chiapas region have a mild, delicate taste and a very particular aroma.

Flavor Profile of Mexican Coffee

Rich ecology combined with high altitude and suitable temperatures creates the unique flavor of Mexican coffee. It performs best at a medium-dark roast, gradually revealing apricot fruit aroma on the first sip, with a light molasses note appearing later. The evenly balanced floral aroma carries a long finish.

Roasting Levels

Light Roast (City)

Full, slightly wild fruit aroma, with acidity that only appears seconds after drinking. The oily mouthfeel is relatively thin, and the finish surfaces slowly at the back of the tongue. There is some aroma and flavor of Pengfeng tea.

Medium Roast (General B)

Fruity aroma after fermentation, with weak fruit acidity, a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, and a taste of ripe tea.

Dark Roast (General C)

Aroma of red vegetables, no acidity, a clean mouthfeel without excess impurities, and the sweetness of immortal grass and wheat.

Mexican Coffee Culture

Mexicans have their own way with coffee. They like to add cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and the Mexican raw sugar piloncillo to make "Café de olla."

Brewing Tips

A small reminder: coffee is best enjoyed from an earthenware cup. And if you want to add something, why not pour in a little rum?

Brewing Recommendations

For FrontStreet Mexican coffee, we suggest these pour-over parameters:

V60 / 90°C / 1:15 / two minutes

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Like Mexico, Brazil is famous for balanced, low-acid coffee that is easy to love. If that is the profile you enjoy, try these FrontStreet Brazilian beans:

FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon — an ideal introduction to the Brazilian profile, and a very classic Brazilian single origin. Cerrado is a well-known local region prized for high-quality beans, and this one is the Red Bourbon variety common across South America. Roasted medium, it opens with rich aromas of creamy peanut, toast, caramel, and hazelnut; the cup is rounded, not acidic, with a light bittersweet edge. It works for pour-over as well as the moka pot, espresso SOE, siphon, and French press.

FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon — from Mogiana, near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil lets the fruit absorb plenty of nutrients and develop full aroma. The estate's variety is the rare Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of Red Bourbon with a cleaner fruit character. Through pour-over, moka pot, or a home espresso machine it delivers a sugarcane sweetness found in no other region, along with fruit and chocolate notes.

FrontStreet Classic Blend — low acidity, balance, and an approachable price make Brazilian coffee the base of many espresso recipes, and it anchors this blend. Rich in crema, it offers chocolate and creamy aromas plus a gentle sweet-sour-bitter balance, and its even keel makes extraction more stable. Good for espresso and moka pot alike.